Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services

MISSOURI

Grant Information

Name of Grantee

Department of Health and Senior Services

Title of Grant

Missouri's Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Project

Type of Grant

Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services

Amount of Grant

$500,000

Year Original Funding Received

2003

Contact Information

Vicki Keller, Project Director
Bureau Chief
Department of Health and Senior Services
Division of Senior and Disability Services
3418 Knipp Drive
PO Box 570
Jefferson, MO 65102
573-526-8601
vicki.keller@dhss.mo.gov

Subcontractor(s)

To be determined by an RFP process in first year of the grant. The Department secured Rose International, through the RFP process, to assist with this project.

Target Population(s)

Participants in all the State's Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs.

Goals

  • Identify the information systems currently in use or being developed by various state agencies; evaluate their commonalities and differences; and assess the process necessary to begin building a statewide, automated system that can be used by the agencies to store quality assurance data for participants in all HCBS waiver programs.
  • Design a system to house information on nursing and social work visits to waiver program participants to obtain direct input regarding how services provided affect the consumer's health and safety in a community setting.
  • Develop accurate and consistent methods for tracking complaints, and use the information gathered to prompt system changes needed to resolve recurring issues and enhance participant outcomes.

Activities

  • Develop interagency protocols and a framework for reporting quality of services.
  • Develop a formal client survey to assess the needs and concerns of in-home service participants.
  • Evaluate current systems, including common and agency-specific issues.
  • Develop training for providers and case managers specific to issues identified.
  • Develop a Web-based, interagency database that will provide accurate and consistent data for quality improvement functions.
  • Develop and implement a pilot program to test the system for participant outcomes and to evaluate the survey tool.

Abstract

The Department of Health and Senior Services will be the lead agency for the development and administration of this grant, in partnership with the Departments of Mental Health, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Social Services.

The overall objective of this project is to ensure the health and safety of persons who receive home and community services and those persons considering long-term care options for remaining in or returning to the community.

Grant funds will be used to support the interagency collaboration needed to develop a comprehensive, statewide system for tracking issues related to the HCBS waiver in community settings. Many state agencies have begun developing such systems or are in the initial stages of implementation of various quality assurance mechanisms. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a consistent method of gathering quality assurance data for all HCBS waiver programs and use the data to identify and address problem areas. The system will also provide the basis for improved reporting capabilities to the State Medicaid agency.

The project will also develop a formal client survey to assess the needs and concerns of in-home service participants. This tool will be offered to all state agencies and administrative agents for use in obtaining data that can be put into their systems, the end result being to expedite complaints to ensure that client health and welfare are protected. The solicitation of input from program participants will be an integral part of the project.